Kenya to host second round of African series

What you need to know:

  • The rally will also double up as the second event in the Kenya National Rally Championship calendar.

Kenya will host the second round of the 2018 African Rally Championship (ARC) - the Safari Rally - on 17 to 18 March.

The rally will also double up as the second event in the Kenya National Rally Championship calendar.

According to the Surinder Thatthi, the FIA Africa vice president, this year’s Safari Rally that is edging back to being part of the World Rally Championship series, will once again count as a round of the ARC.

Kenya finished sixth out of the  seven countries that participated in 2017 FIA ARC series.

"This year’s Safari Rally is a round of the 2018 ARC only. We are inviting the FIA and WRC Promoter to see what we are planning for the 2019 candidate event. If all goes well and Kenya impresses the FIA officials, then Kenya will host a WRC round at least three years from now," said Thatthi.

All competitors using eligible cars for the ARC will score points.  Drivers do not have to register for the 2017 ARC championship. They will automatically score points in whichever leg they participate in unlike previously where registration had to be done at the start of the continental series to be eligible to score points.

All cars eligible to score points in the ARC regulations for up to 14 overall result of only homologated vehicles will be adopted: 1st - 25 points , 2nd - 21, 3rd - 18 , 4th - 16 , 5th - 14, 6th - 12, 7th -10 , 8th - 8, 9th - 6, 10th - 5, 11th - 4 , 12th - 3, 13th - 2, 14th - 1. 

Meanwhile, Onkar Rai has taken the lead of the Overall standings of the 2018 Kenya National Rally Championship on 25 points following his impressive victory in the Top Fry Nakuru Rally on last Saturday.

Rai, who finished fourth overall in the last year’s series, has now won two rallies since he made his rally debut a few seasons back. His first career victory came in the same rally last year.

Multiple national champion, Baldev Chager, who finished second in the opening round of the season, is second with 18 points.

Imran Khan, whose role will change from driver to navigator in the Nakuru Classic Rally in April, was placed 13th with Ken Masoni in a Subaru Impreza.

Khan will navigate Rob Lick in the Classic Rally in a Porsche 911. Khan and Masoni are now leading Class S and Division Three of the KNRC.

"We thought of having fun in Nakuru while my preparation for the Classic Rally were going on. We hit a tree in the event which knocked us off the pace but were luck to finish the rally. It will be my fourth Classic Rally having participated in the other big ones before," said Khan.

The Chana brothers, Jasmeet and Ravi, are the Division One leaders after finishing seventh overall in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo10.

The sole female competitor in Nakuru, Tuta Mionki guided her driver Eric Bengi to the12th position driving a Subaru Impreza. The crew is now lying second in Divison One with 18 points.

Sarit Shah/Kigondu Kareith lead the Two Wheel Class and third in Divison Three by finishing 16th overall.

The following failed to finish the Nakuru Rally: Jaspreet Chatthe/James Morgan, Nikhil Sachania/Khan, Daren Miranda/Wayne Fernandes, Minesh Rathod/Shameer Yusuf, Sammy Nyorri/Mwangi Kioni, Hamza Anwar/Salim Khan.

KNRC Table 1. Onkar Rai/Gareth Dawe 25, 2.Baldev Chager/Ravi Soni 18,  3. Ian Duncan/Anthony Nelsen 15,  4. Manvir Baryan/Drew Sturrock 12,  5. Carl Tundo/Tim Jessop 10,  6. Tejveer Rai/Zahir Shah 8,  7. Farhaaz Khan/Keith Henrie 6, 8. Karan Patel/James Mwangi 4.